Feature Article

Use Spectrum More Efficiently, Says xG Technology

As the industry debates about the shortage of spectrum, some are calling it exaggeration. While others are saying it is flat-out wrong. According to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the reports of a spectrum shortage are grossly exaggerated.

Despite all these talks, spectrum continues to be a hot commodity for the industry. Hence, it is not surprising to see big players like AT&T busy acquiring spectrum. In fact, the wireless giant has been trying to grab spectrum from three different companies. These include NextWave Wireless, Comcast, and a small Miami firm called Horizon Wi-Com. According to reports, the total value of these deals is around $600 million, paid in cash by AT&T.

These pending acquisitions for spectrum have drawn the attention of many companies within the wireless industry, including xG Technology. The smart radio technology developer has responded by making some comments in the public domain.

The company, a developer of first carrier-class cognitive radio network called xMax, made a statement to the press. In that statement, xG Technology’s vice president Rick Rotondo said,

"AT&T's past attempt to purchase T-Mobile for its spectrum holdings and this more recent attempt to acquire NextWave for its spectrum holdings (the latter at a very large premium to the stock price), shows how valuable wireless spectrum is becoming in the U.S. and globally." He added, "However, purchasing new spectrum is only a short-term and limited solution, since the supply of new spectrum not already in service is finite and diminishing rapidly."

But, xG’s Rotondo has a longer-lasting alternative. According to the xG executive, the real solution to the spectrum crisis is not just more spectrum, but using the spectrum we have more efficiently. “This can be accomplished through cognitive (i.e. smart) radio technologies like xG's xMax mobile broadband solution," noted Rotondo.

According to xG Technology, xMax uses real-time spectrum sensing to find underused and available frequencies on a moment-by- moment basis, moving out of the way if another radio starts transmitting on those channels. It also incorporates patent-pending interference mitigation software that enables it to tolerate more inference, while offering more reliable connectivity than is possible with other wireless systems, said the developer.